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Section Maneuvers
Maneuvers are the cornerstone to modern warfare and are one half of the military doctrine of 'Fire & Maneuver', in essence on team maneuvers or assaults whilst the other provides covering fire or suppression. The image below shows the three main maneuvers performed by the 6th Airborne. 'Bounding:' Bounding is an advancing maneuver where the section ‘bounds’ a given distance either in the open or from cover to cover; either with covering fire, concealment through smoke, natural concealment or in the open. As an example, from prone position, the section leader will shout ‘Section, prepare to bound’, on that order the section will get up to a crouched position and on the order ‘bound’, they will sprint forward. The distance, as a rule of thumb, is the time to say ‘I’m up, they see me, I’m down’, at which point the soldier falls to a static prone position facing 12 o’clock. Bounding lacks an inherent overwatch or supporting element and is as a result a risk maneuver if contact has been taken previously, however it is very quick and should most often be used when moving from cover to cover, as a result of this it is useful in urban fighting. Peeling: ''' Peeling allows a fireteam to peel or move to the flank of the formation (left or right) behind the other fireteam as it provides cover, this allows the section to shift to the left or the right whilst maintaining a support element. '''Leap-Frogging: Leap-Frogging, otherwise known as bounding overwatch, is a maneuver where the section is split into its two fireteams, Charlie and Delta. The fireteams bound separately to one another, the first fireteam bounding a short distance, going prone and providing cover. The other fireteam bounds twice the distance past the first fireteam, this is then repeated where by each fireteam passes the other, each covering the other fireteams' advance. Communication is essential in this maneuver, the fireteams must inform each other when one is "Set!" so the other can move with the overwatch provided by the set fireteam.Leap-frogging takes the advantage of rapid movement seen in bounding but provides an overwatch or covering aspect, this is why it is sometimes referred to as 'bounding overwatch'. Withdrawing / Breaking Contact: Retreating is an essential part of combat, sometimes the enemy will have fire supremacy or the section may be required to retreat back to allow close air support (CAS) or fire support from artillery. Retreating should always be done either with fire, with concealment through smoke or both, in the example shown we see the section doing a reverse leapfrog, each fireteam leapfrogging then covering the other fireteams retreat until they are safe enough away to form up and ‘BREAK CONTACT’ which is to ceasefire and simply retreat away. Aussie Peel An Aussie Peel is a withdrawing peel where by each member of the section fires two – three shots to the 12 o’clock then retreats back to the rear of the section in a file formation. This is used as a drill formation for formation, communication and fire discipline but can be used in the field as a way to retreat with constant fire whilst in column / file formation.